Hillary's popularity falls just 3 months in

politics

Lisa Lerer
– 17 July 2015 03:00 AM

Hillary Rodham Clinton's standing is falling among Democrats, and voters view her as less decisive and inspiring than when she launched her presidential campaign just three months ago, according to a new Associated Press-GfK poll.

The survey offers a series of warning signs for the leading 2016 Democratic candidate for president. Most troubling, perhaps, for her prospects are questions about her compassion for average Americans, a quality that fuelled President Barack Obama's two White House victories.

overwhelming

Just 39pc of Americans have a favourable view of Clinton (inset), compared to nearly half who said they have a negative opinion of her.

That's an eight-point increase in her unfavourable rating from an AP-GfK poll conducted at the end of April.

While Clinton remains by far the overwhelming favourite in the race for the Democratic nomination, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has mounted an unexpectedly strong challenge, firing up the party's liberal base and drawing big crowds at rallies in key voting states.

The drop in Clinton's numbers extends into the Democratic Party. Seven in 10 Democrats gave Clinton positive marks, an 11-point drop from the April survey.

Nearly a quarter of Democrats now say they see Clinton in an unfavourable light.